Construction starts on new £61m education campus

The £61 million City of Wolverhampton Council development will establish new educational facilities

Construction work is under way on a "transformational" city centre campus.

The £61 million City of Wolverhampton Council development, supported by government funding, will establish new educational facilities for City of Wolverhampton College, Adult Education Wolverhampton, and Central Library.

The council describes the campus as "the jewel in the crown" of its City Learning Quarter masterplan.

Council leader Councillor Stephen Simkins said: “It is a very proud moment to see our City Learning Quarter city centre vision becoming a reality."

The works are part of phase two of the council's development, with contractor McLaughlin & Harvey set to deliver the project in time for the start of the 2025-26 academic year.

Planned works on Central Library will also be announced in due course as part of the City Learning Quarter investment.

The council said works were progressing well on the first phase of the City Learning Quarter masterplan – a new £8.1 million Advanced Technology and Automotive Centre at the college’s Wellington Road campus.

It is due to be completed by contractor Speller Metcalfe in July 2024 and is being funded by West Midlands Combined Authority and former Black Country LEP.

Council leader, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “It will have a visible and tangible impact on the city of Wolverhampton and its residents, making a massive difference to everyday life through direct investment in skills and education - it has the potential to unlock future opportunities for all in the city".

Mal Cowgill, principal and CEO at City of Wolverhampton College, said: “The latest milestone in the construction of the City Learning Quarter is great news for the city, great news for the college and great news for the thousands of students and apprentices who will benefit from its first-class training facilities in the years to come".

The college forecasts that over a 10 year period about 45,000 people will benefit from learning at the City Learning Quarter and about 7,500 apprenticeships will be started.